


Vive La Difference!

by whiskygalore



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst, Bottom Jensen, Dragon Jensen, Hurt Jensen Ackles, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 11:20:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiskygalore/pseuds/whiskygalore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spnkink meme prompt - Jared doesn't understand everything that comes with being the mate of dragon Jensen. He tries to convince his friends and family that Jensen is 'just like him' but because he is so focused on the similarities, he doesn't notice the differences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vive La Difference!

Summary: An awesome prompt on the [Spnkink meme](http://spnkink-meme.livejournal.com/). Jared doesn't understand everything that comes with being the mate of dragon Jensen. He tries to convince his friends and family that Jensen is 'just like him' and because he is so focused on the similarities, he doesn't notice the differences.

 

Jared's mother's cat was a yellow-eyed demon in a black fur coat. Silent paws and menacing eyes had stalked Jensen's every move since he'd stepped foot inside his boyfriend's parent's sprawling house. Making a good first impression had been stressful enough without the constant presence of an unhappy black shadow waiting for its chance to attack. After a couple of hours of polite conversation and having survived Jared's big - and boy was he big - brother's terse 'hurt my brother and I'll hurt you face' warning, Jensen had started to relax. That turned out to be a rookie mistake in the face of such a persistent adversary. He'd been standing by the grill listening to Jared's dad, George, rhapsodise about his new SUV when spikes of pain tore from his ankle up to the top of his thigh as, with a bloodthirsty yowl, Sooty climbed his leg using her viciously sharp claws like crampons.  
  
With a girly squeal, that he would never live down Jensen had dropped his, thankfully plastic, tumbler of iced-tea as he tried to wrestle the squirming puff of angry fur from his thigh. By the time he'd separated cat and leg, Jared's family had given up on any pretence of hiding their laughter; one angel-faced cousin had bubbles of soda squirting from her nose while another appeared to be choking on a hot-dog. Flicking her tail victoriously, Sooty had sauntered off under a bush and casually started to lick her...okay, let’s just say, she'd made her feelings pretty obvious.  
  
Unsuccessfully biting back a chuckle, George had handed Jensen a paper napkin and shooed him off towards the house to clean up and fetch himself more iced-tea. Jensen had idly wondered if the blood dripping down his leg didn't entitle him to a slightly stronger drink.  
  
Anyway, that's how he came to be standing outside the partially opened kitchen door listening to the conversation between Jared and his mother. He hadn't planned on eavesdropping but he'd heard the mention of his name just as he'd been about to push the door open and well, it would have been rude to interrupt. He really should have remembered his mom telling him that sneaky eavesdroppers never heard anything good about themselves.  
  
"Yes dear, Jensen does seem like a perfectly nice young man but he's not really is he?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean Mom? You think he's faking nice?"  
  
"Don't be facetious Jared; you know perfectly well what I mean."  
  
"Why don't you spell it out for me?"  
  
"Watch your tone with me Jared Tristan Padalecki. You know I'm only concerned because I don't want to see you hurt."  
  
"Mom, Jensen is not going to hurt me."  
  
"You can't know that for sure though can you, because he's a...he's not like us."  
  
"Jesus mom, you've just met him. He's exactly like us."  
  
"No Jared. No he is not. He's a dragon. Even if you hadn't already mentioned it, one look at those creepy eyes is enough to know for sure."  
  
"That's enough Mom. Jensen does not have creepy eyes. He has gorgeous green eyes."  
  
"Jared, they're luminous green. It's not normal. It's not human. What else does he have? Scales? A tail?"  
  
"Mom! No he does not have a tail and you know what? It wouldn't be any of your business if he did. You're being ridiculous. He's not even a dragon. His mom was human so he's only half dragon and he's no different from us."  
  
"You're kidding yourself if you really think that Jared. Maybe he hasn't shown his true colors yet but he will. One day you're going to wake up in a dank cave and realize you're just another slimy dragon's shiny trophy."

"Jesus Christ mom! Enough, seriously. That's offensive in so many ways that I can't even - Jensen does not live in a cave. He lives in a perfectly nice apartment that's a damn site neater that mine. He doesn't collect anything, much less 'shiny trophies' and he is most definitely not a slimy dragon. He's no different from you or me."  
  
"And what about when he changes? Have you even seen his dragon form? You know Mr. Clarkson, at your father's office, told us his neighbour's niece was dating a dragon and the first time it shifted it snapped her neck in half when she tried to run off and everyone knows that dragons -"  
  
"That's bullshit mom."  
  
"Jared! Language, please."  
  
"No, I'm not listening to this crap. Jensen is a better man than any of the other guys I've dated. He's not some kind of creature that can't control his instincts. He's never even mentioned shifting. He's happy the way he is. I'm happy the way he is. I love him. You need to accept that Jensen is going to be part of this family and he isn't going to turn into a monster and eat your grand-kids."  
  
"Grand-kids? Are you...can he...is it possible for him to...you're not going to end up pregnant are you?"  
  
"No! No, oh my God. Mom I'm a guy in-case you've forgotten. I can't get pregnant and anyway I don't...No, you know what? I'm not having this conversation with you. I meant the grandchildren you already have running around outside. The ones who are probably digging up your flowerbeds as we speak. Maybe you'd better go and check on them instead of interrogating me."  
  
That sounded like Jensen's cue to vanish before he was caught red-handed or red-eared as the case may be. He ducked into the guest bathroom to clean himself up, mulling over what Jared had said. He wasn't that shocked at Jared's mom's attitude. It wasn't pleasant but it was a fact of life for Jensen that his heritage was enough to make some people hate even the sight of him. Just because discrimination against dragon-bloods was illegal didn't make it extinct.  
  
Jared had said he loved him though and he'd defended him. Part of the family, he'd said. That had sent a warm pulse through Jensen that probably made his creepy eyes light up even more than normal. It was reassuring to know that Jared was invested in their relationship as much as Jensen was though.  
  
Dragons, even half-dragons couldn't afford to give their hearts away easily and Jensen was so in love with Jared it was terrifying. Maybe though, he should admit to Jared that occasionally he did like to shift form but then Jared was happy with the way Jensen looked now so maybe he should give it time. There was no rush after all; they had the rest of their lives together. Maybe he could ease into it. Yes, a small confession would definitely be a better place to start. Jared was right that he didn't collect shiny things. Please, as if a civilised city-loving dragon like him could be seduced by sparkly baubles. He may however, have amassed a small collection of Dr Who figures and a dalek or five, a couple of boxes of X-Men comics and memorabilia and his beautiful Star Trek shot glasses that had taken years to find and were irreplaceable. Shiny things phft! There were so many cooler things to collect.

 

"So my family loved you." Jared said, throwing his jacket carelessly on the back of a chair, dropping onto his wonderfully squishy sofa and kicking his feet up among the mugs on his coffee table; completely relaxed for the first time all day. He loved his family. When he saw them occasionally. In small doses. Deciding to introduce Jensen to them en-masse possibly wasn't his brightest idea. Their family get-togethers tended to end up more like a W.W.E. rumble than a Walton-esque picnic. At least it was all over now and his mother hadn't had too much opportunity to voice her disapproval. Not in front of Jensen anyway, thank God.  
  
"Really?" Replied Jensen, picking up Jared's jacket and hanging it up before Jared caught hold of his arm and hauled him down onto his lap. "I don't think I was a big hit with all your family."  
  
Jared wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, ensuring he couldn't bounce away to clear anything else up in Jared’s chaotic apartment, and studied those startling green eyes he'd fallen in love with. "Of course you were. Why would you think that?" If his mother had said something nasty to Jensen after her ridiculous outburst in the kitchen that afternoon, he'd never forgive her.  
  
"Well, your mother's cat tried it's best to cripple me so I'm pretty sure she isn't my biggest fan."  
  
Skimming his fingertips gently up Jensen's clawed leg, Jared kissed the pout from his lips. "Do you want me to kiss it better babe? Just how far up your leg did she climb?"  
  
"Not that far Jared." Jensen's laugh turned into a strangled groan as Jared's fingers trailed up from the inside of his thigh over his balls. "Jared, maybe we should talk."  
  
"Mmm, now?" That sounded ominous to Jared. Kissing Jensen until he forgot what he wanted to discuss was a much more promising plan.  
  
Jensen flicked Jared on the nose like a disobedient puppy. "Yes now Jared. Just for a minute. I get that you're trying to protect my feelings but I know your mom didn't..."  
  
"Jensen please don't talk about my mom when my hand is in your pants."  
  
"Jesus Jared, I'm trying to have a serious conversation here can you not...Oh God. Yeah, just like that, that's...ooh Jay yes...yes there...wait no..no...we're supposed to be talking about...I need to tell you about....fuck ugh...no, because I'm a dragon-blood and you're...you're...God...fucking awesome...but we're different and you need to know..."  
  
"Ssh baby," Jared cooed against the flushed curve of Jensen's throat where his adams apple was bobbing up and down like crazy. "Pretty sure, where it counts-" he took Jensen's stiffening erection in his hand and squeezed lightly before brushing his thumb over the tip, "-you're exactly the same as me."  
  
Surrendering helplessly to Jared's powerfully persuasive techniques, Jensen ground down onto Jared's lap and let any thought of forming coherent sentences evaporate. Screw the differences; he could be as human as Jared wanted as long as he didn't stop doing that thing with his...ugh...yeah that.

 

"Mr Jensen? My brother said you is a dragon and you gonna eat me if I'm a bad girl. You not gonna eat me are you."  
  
"No, Holly-Anne I am not going to eat you. Your brother is just being silly."  
  
"Yes that what I telled him."  
  
"Told him, Holly-Anne, not telled."  
  
"Uhuh. You's not a dragon. Dragons are all teethy and scary and rrrargh!"  
  
"Sweetie, dragons are just the same as everyone else. My daddy is a dragon and I'm a half dragon and I'm not scary am I?"  
  
"Nooo...you's nice Mr Jensen and funny and you has pretty eyes."  
  
"So do you Holly-Anne, beautiful brown ones. Now go and finish tidying up the building blocks before your Mommy gets here. That's a good girl."  
  
With a bobbing ponytail, the little girl bounced away, happily singing to herself, perfectly satisfied that her teacher wasn't about to eat her for dinner. Kids were always quick to accept him, shining eyes and all. If only their parents were so easily won over.  
  
Teaching pre-schoolers was Jensen's dream job and he loved it. It had however, taken a lot of work, determination and plain pig-headedness to break into the profession. Fear-laced suspicion surrounded dragons that wanted to work with kids. Narrow-minded, dyed-in-the-wool dragon-haters had spent years spreading vile rumours about dragons that preyed on vulnerable humans. Dragons that were just waiting for any opportunity to snatch away their children. It was a ludicrous notion of course. Still, despite legislation for equal rights in all areas including employment, it was incredibly rare to find a dragon-blood teaching.  
  
Samantha, the owner of the preschool Jensen worked for was an amazing woman. She cared more about the kids than making a huge profit and she was one of those rare individuals who believed in equality for everyone and was prepared to put her reputation on the line to prove it. Even though hiring him had resulted in several irate parents withdrawing their children from the school, she had never once blamed Jensen. In turn, Jensen worked longer and harder than anyone else to repay her faith in him, and he liked to think that when his kids graduated to kindergarten, it was as well-rounded, respectful, kind and considerate individuals. Ones who didn't pee their pants and bash each other over the head with plastic dolls.  
  
Jensen was still waiting for the last of his kids to be collected twenty minutes after he was supposed to have left for home.  
  
Little James was contentedly drawing a picture of his dad - whose head was apparently the size of a small planet and bright purple - so Jensen took the opportunity to quickly snag his cell phone from his bag and check his messages. There were two texts, both from Jared. One simply telling him he loved him and one reminding him about the fundraiser they were attending tonight. Jensen hated those things but it was in aid of the no-kill dog shelter that Jared supported passionately so he was prepared to suck it up and schmooze with the best of them for his mate's sake.  
  
'Mate', the word filled Jensen with electrifying wonder. He'd do anything for his mate. Anything at all.  
  
"Jensen?" Sam walked into his class looking unusually serious. Taking Jensen aside, in quiet tones she confided, "The hospital called. James' mom has been in an accident. Her family have been informed and are on their way there. I said I would take James to the hospital myself to save them the trouble of coming here."  
  
"Oh God, that's awful. Poor James. Just let me grab my things and I'll come with you."  
  
"Are you sure? Don't you have the fundraiser with Jared tonight?"  
  
"It's fine. Jared'll understand if I'm a bit late."

 

 

Jared was well aware that Jensen was not the best timekeeper in the world and that having to be sociable at big events was a torturous experience for him. Jensen however, knew how important this evening was for Jared and how much it meant to him to have Jensen here. He had promised Jared, had sworn blind he'd make the effort to be there.  
  
If this event didn’t go well, there was a real chance that the shelter was going to run into serious financial difficulties and be closed down. The mere thought of that made him want to puke. Jared, along with the other volunteers, had slogged his guts out to make this fundraiser a success. He scowled at his watch again as it told him that yet another minute had passed without his boyfriend appearing. He couldn't believe that Jensen would let him down this badly.  
  
By the time Jensen eventually blew through the door, looking flustered and windswept and scanning the room anxiously, it was a close call as to whether Jared's tightly coiled emotions were tipping the scales towards worry or anger.  
  
It was obvious when Jensen spotted him; his eyes sparked like an electric storm and a shy smile, aimed only at Jared, lit up his face. He picked his way cautiously through the scattered groups of people until he reached Jared's side.  
  
"I'm sorry Jay. Did you get my text?" Now he was close up Jared could see that Jensen was flushed red and a bead of sweat was trickling down the side of his neck into the skewed collar of his white shirt.  
  
"Yes I got your text. Three hours ago!" Jared tried unsuccessfully not to sound as pissed as he felt. "What kind of work emergency makes you run three hours late Jensen, you're only a preschool teacher for God's sake."  
  
That came out a bit harsher than Jared intended and he felt a twinge of regret when he saw a flash of hurt in his boyfriend's eyes. Seriously though, three hours!  
  
"I'm sorry Jay but the kid was upset and his dad was..."  
  
"Forget about it." Jared fixed Jensen's collar and straightened his tie with a non-too gentle tug, peripherally noticing but steadfastly ignoring the heat radiating from his boyfriend and the fact that he'd worn the tie Jared had bought for him because it matched his eyes. "You're here now I guess. We'll discuss it later. Let's just try and enjoy ourselves and help raise some cash. Michaels' worried there aren't as many people here as we hoped for, so the silent auction really needs to go well."  
  
"Okay Jared. I truly am sorry I'm late. Is there anything I can do to help?"  
  
Jared sighed, willing himself calm. "Why don't you fetch us a couple of drinks, then we can circulate. There's a few people I'd like to introduce you to and Michael was asking after you as well."  
  
"Sure Jay, I'll be right back." Skimming a gentle kiss across his cheek, Jensen hurried toward the bar, nearly crashing into a waiter carrying a drinks-laden tray as he peered back nervously at Jared.  
  
Jared was glad that Jensen had shown up, at last. Unfortunately, that didn't quite outweigh how wound up and grumpy he still was. Jensen clinging to him like a terrified koala, which usually wasn't a bad thing, gradually irritated him more and more until after about forty minutes of it he had to excuse himself to visit the restroom before he snapped.  
  
The mirror, in the thankfully empty restroom, pulled no punches: disapprovingly showing him a disgruntled glowering version of himself that would scare small children. Splashing cold water against his face, he mentally shook himself, and then he actually shook himself; trying to dislodge the tension climbing up his spine that had his shoulders nearly meeting his ears and a band of pain tightening around his head. He was being a bit of a dick he did realize this. Jensen wasn't doing anything wrong. They were both just stressed and upset. He needed to relax. They both did. They were supposed to be having a fun night together not dancing around each other like tomcats on a hot tin roof. The night may have started disastrously but there was no reason for it to end that way. He needed to get over himself, cut out the mopey bullshit and head back out there to his drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend.

One slight problem; Jensen had vanished. The crowd in the room seemed to have swollen during Jared's brief absence and swallowed him up.  
  
"Jared there you are, great! Can you come and help out with the raffle please."  
  
Michael grabbed his arm, tugging him forcefully towards the back of the room. Jared allowed himself to be dragged along, all the time trying to catch sight of his AWOL boyfriend.  
  
"Sure I guess. I'm kind of looking for Jensen though."  
  
"Oh I saw him talking to some guy at the bar a few minutes ago. Don't worry Jay your other half can look after himself. He can always barbecue the dude if he's bothering him."  
  
"Michael!"  
  
"Joking man, joking!"  
  
Jared scowled, not close to being in the mood for dragon jokes.  
  
"Come on man. It's not as if he's gonna cheat on you. Grab those tickets for me would you."  
  
Well no, Jared had never once thought that Jensen would cheat on him. Except now he totally was, and the ugly idea was lodged in his head obstinately refusing to budge.  
  
The rest of the evening, he was kept pretty busy helping out and glad-handing the guests. He even ended up on the dance floor a few times. Not with his boyfriend unfortunately. He had to make do with sharing his dancing skills with a few of the older women whom Michael had decided Jared could charm into parting with their cash. Michael assured him that he didn't expect him to go any further than dancing but then he did a weird lecherous wink thing and slapped Jared's ass which..yeah all kinds of wrong.  
  
Jared was more than relieved when the band announced they were about to play the last song. His feet were throbbing, his cheeks ached with the effort of fake grinning and the main reason that he'd had to fake grin all evening was that each time he'd spotted Jensen, the same guy had been attached to his side. The same attractive, laughing older guy whose tongue had practically been hanging out as his arm wrapped around Jensen's shoulders. Jared was silently seething.

"Hey Jay, you've been so busy, I've barely seen you." Jensen appeared like a smiling mirage in front of him.  
  
"Well that hasn’t stopped you from enjoying yourself has it?" Jared bit out through gritted teeth. "I'm going home. Do you need a ride?"  
  
"Oh, yeah...I mean I thought I was staying over at yours tonight anyway but I just wanted to introduce you to someone first if that's okay. Jeff is -”  
  
"I'm leaving now Jensen. Either come with me or stay with 'Jeff' I really don't give a damn."  
  
Jensen must have had to run to catch up with Jared as he stormed from the room, fury injecting his long legs with an extra burst of speed.  
  
"Jared wait! Jared please. I don't understand...what's wrong?"  
  
Oblivious to how close Jensen was standing behind him, Jared spun around accidentally knocking into him. Jensen stumbled back as Jared hissed, "What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. You turned up hours late when you knew how important this evening was to me, then you spent half the night flirting with another guy."  
  
A little voice in the back of his head was begging Jared to shut up. He knew he was over-reacting but he'd had such a frustratingly craptastic night that he was past the point of giving a shit. Trying to reign in his temper now was like trying to stop a volcano erupting by plugging it with a cork.  
  
Jensen stared at him in shock. A pink blush spread over his face hiding a scattering of distressed freckles.  
  
"Jared! How could you think...I would never cheat on you, you know that."  
  
Yes you do, the little voice in his head agreed.  
  
"Yeah well," Jared argued with them both. "I also knew you wouldn't let me down tonight when I needed you to be here on time for once and guess what? I was wrong."  
  
"Jared please, I said I was sorry if you'd just let me explain -"  
  
"Explain what Jensen? Why you let some stranger paw you or how your job is more important than me."  
  
"Jay I didn't, that's not true...none of it is."  
  
No it's really not, Jared's irritating little voice insisted.  
  
"You know what? I've had a shitty night and I just want to go home. I'll see you later."  
  
"Jared wait," Jensen reached out, taking hold of his hand but Jared was far too annoyed with both Jensen and himself to be placated. Shrugging him off, he turned his back on his boyfriend and stalked away.  
  
Footsteps running behind him assured him that Jensen hadn't yet taken the hint to leave him alone.  
  
"Jared...please...just listen. This is a... a stupid misunderstanding. Let me come home with you and we can sort this out."  
  
"No just back the fuck off Jensen."  
  
"But Jared - "  
  
"For God’s sake Jensen leave me the hell alone. It's over! I'm done."  
  
Jared could feel the distraught eyes of his boyfriend watching him as he walked away.  
  
The voice in his head wasn't so little now. It was pounding behind his eyes yelling, what the hell have you done you asshole?

 

 

"Hey Sadie, how're you doing today sweetie huh?"

The thump thump of her wagging tail whacking against the cement floor and the swipe of her rough tongue against his cheek nearly brought a smile to Jared's face.

Scratching behind the dog's silky ear, earning himself another slobbery kiss he sighed. "Well, I'm glad one of us is happy."

"Oh fuck me. Please don't depress the dogs Jared. It's bad enough having to put up with your mopey face around here."

"Gee thanks for your sympathy Chad. Anyway, it's not like I'm upsetting her; I'm just talking to her. It's nice to talk to someone that doesn't call me a big girl or a douche-bag for a change."

Chad looked unimpressed, raising a single sceptical eyebrow."I'm pretty sure if she could talk she'd tell you to stop being a whiny ass too and by the way, yesterday after you spent an hour with Harley, the poor mutt wouldn't eat his food and then he hid under his blanket all night. You are traumatising the inmates Jared. They aren't going to get adopted if you leave them all looking as miserable as you."

"Don't call them inmates asshat, they're...wait. Is Harley okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine now. He ate enough today to feed a small country. I actually came in to let you know that Michael's looking for you. He said to send you up to his office if I saw you."

With a final scratch in the baby-soft fur under Sadie's chin, Jared left the dog in her run, pulling the wire door carefully shut behind him.

"Any idea what he wants?" He asked, washing his hands under the cold-water tap and drying them on the ass of his pants before following Chad up the stairs to the offices.

"No idea Jay. Maybe he wants to know why, after a presumably hard day’s work, you've been here every night this week instead of round at your boyfriend's apartment having hot make-up sex."

"Chad..."

Stopping outside Michael’s office door, Chad held his hands up. "Okay, I know, I know. I'm not gonna start...but seriously man, don't you think you're being a bit hard on him. The poor guy looked devastated when you dumped him at the fundraiser. If that old dude hadn't taken him home, I don't think he would have made it under his own steam."

"Yeah well maybe I wouldn't still be quite so pissed, if you hadn't told me that _Jeff_ took my boyfriend home when he was half the reason we argued in the first place." Jared scowled at the thought of that man with his hands on Jensen. The asshole had probably leapt on the opportunity to console his boyfriend. "All Jensen had to do was apologise. One phone call: that's all it would have taken Chad, and he couldn't even be bothered to do that."

"Mmhm and you couldn't have called him?"

"No! He was the one that screwed up. My mom said -"

"Jesus Jared! Please tell me you aren't taking dating advice from your mother. That woman is like the opposite of Cupid, like cupid's arch-nemesis...the anti-Cupid.

"Hey!"

"No offence dude but your mom wouldn't think a...a damn Disney princess or, you know prince, would be good enough for her perfect Jare-bear and she never was Jensen's biggest fan was she?"

Jared squirmed, as he listened to Chad making an unusual amount of sense in his own Chad-like manner.

"Anyway you better see what Mikey wants. Catch you later man."

Michael shouted him in as soon as Jared rapped his knuckles against the door.

"Mike, is everything alright? Chad said you wanted to -" Jared couldn't believe his eyes. Sitting right there looking incredibly pleased with himself was the very man that Jared had spent an unreasonable amount of time devising cruel and painful deaths for. And dammit, close up, he wasn't even as old as Jared had envisioned. And he was better looking.

Obviously noticing the black cloud of doom that was eclipsing Jared's face, Michael leapt up from behind his desk and placed himself squarely between the other two men. Jared had to admire his bravery.

"Jared! Excellent, I'm glad I caught you."

"Michael," Jared growled, earning the same reproving stare that put ornery Rottweilers on their bellies.

"Let me introduce you to Mr. Morgan. Jeff here was just telling me what a fantastic time he had at the fundraiser."

There was a very good chance that Jared's face was turning purple.

Jeff stood, affably offering his hand for Jared to shake, then awkwardly stuffing it in the pocket of his pants when Jared glared at it.

"Mr Padalecki. Can I call you Jared? Jensen told me so much about you that I feel like I already know you. He's a great guy by the way; you're a very lucky man. Although I think you may have a bit of competition."

No, not purple. Jared's face must be turning green and in a minute he was about to burst out of his shirt and smack Jeff 'I'm so charming, your boyfriend's pants will just fall off' Morgan so hard he was going to leave a man-shaped hole in Michael's wall.

Oblivious to Jared's imminent melt down, Morgan continued. "My daughter was completely in love with him when he was her teacher. She's in kindergarten now and she still talks about how Mr. Jensen is her favourite teacher ever. Apparently no-one can tell a story or patch up a scraped knee like Mr. Jensen can."

Yeah, then he was going dangle him out of the window by his - hold on, his daughter? Oh no, he was starting to get a bad feeling.

"Anyway, Jensen was telling me all about the work you did here. How hard all the volunteers worked to keep the place running and well...I wanted to do something to help so I've arranged for my newspaper to run an article about everything that you guys are doing here. Hopefully the exposure can generate you some extra funds."

Oh!

"Isn't that great Jared?" Michael jumped in. "Jeff's too modest to tell you himself, but he's also very kindly given us a generous enough donation to keep the bank off our back for the rest of the year. Again, Mr. Morgan, I can't thank you enough."

Crap!

"No problem Michael. I'm just glad I could help and believe me, when I tell my daughter how pleased Mr. Jensen and his partner are: It'll earn me some serious brownie points."

Jared cleared his throat, tugging the neck of his sweatshirt down from where it was suddenly trying to throttle him.

"Wow...that's...well...that's very kind of you Mr. Morgan. I'm sure Jensen will be thrilled."

Jeff grinned and slapped Jared on the back. "Call me Jeff, Jared. I'm bringing my daughter down in a few days to visit; we're thinking about adopting one of your pups. Maybe Jensen could nip in and surprise her eh? Let's see what we can arrange. Oh and could you maybe thank him for passing on Samantha's number to me. I was always a bit too in awe of her to ask her out, but Jensen persuaded me to give her a call and well-"

Good God, the man even blushed.

"- We're going out together on Saturday night. Anyway I'd better get going. It was great to meet you at last Jared. See you soon hopefully."

"Yeah, sure. I mean...you know... thanks." Jared barely managed to wait until Michael showed Jeff from the room before sinking down into the wobbly chair in front of the desk. Dropping his head onto the cluttered surface, he knocked his forehead against the desk top until the pain started to sink through his incredibly thick skull.

"Idiot...idiot...idiot."

"I hate to interrupt this entertaining display of self-flagellation but well...this is my office."

"I'm an idiot, Mike."

"Apparently."

"What am I going to do?" Jared hoped that the desk was muffling his voice enough to hide how pathetic he sounded.

"Apologising would be a good start I guess Einstein."

Lifting his head up and absently rubbing the red bump in the middle of his forehead, Jared grimaced when he thought back to everything he'd yelled at his boyfriend."He probably hates me. Oh God, I told him it was over...he's never going to forgive me."

"You told him what?" Michael snapped. "You told him it was over? I thought it was true love and all that crap, that you two were serious."

"We were...we are. But it was just a stupid argument right? I mean I can fix this."

"Jared. Jensen's a dragon you stupid fucker, you can't just -"

An embarrassed cough from the open doorway interrupted Michael mid-flow.

"Sorry to disturb you, but there's someone here looking for Jared." Chad nodded his head towards the reception.

"Jesus what now." Jared didn't think he could cope with any more drama.

"Jared, there's a few things about dragons that you really need to know." Michael called after him as Jared left the room.

Standing behind the reception desk, a smartly dressed woman with blonde hair and an easy smile was holding what looked like a kid's drawing in one hand and a brightly wrapped parcel in the other.

"Jared?" She asked looking up at him curiously.

"Yes, I'm sorry do I know you?"

"Oh no that's okay. We've never met it's just that Jensen talks about you so much, I think I would recognise you anywhere. I'm sorry, I haven’t introduced myself: I'm Samantha. Samantha Smith."

"Oh!" The penny dropped with a heavy clunk. "Miss Smith, you're Jensen's boss."

"Samantha, please Jared. Jensen mentioned that you spent a lot of time here and I couldn't think of any other way to contact you. I was just wondering how Jensen was. It's not like him to take any sick-days and he sounded just awful when he called on Monday."

Jared didn't know what to say. What could he say? My boyfriend’s sick? I’m sorry I have absolutely no idea how he is since I dumped him a week ago after he managed to single-handedly save this shelter from closure for at least a year. By the way did he mention that I was dumber than a box of rocks.

He decided that honest but non-committal was the safest option. "Actually, I was just on my way to see him now."

"Wonderful," Samantha beamed. "You can take him these for me. The picture is from James and the gift is from his Dad. Jensen was such a life-saver that night, I can't tell you. James's dad was completely distraught and in no shape to take care of his kids while his wife was in surgery. I couldn't pry James from Jensen's side and if Jensen hadn't stuck around to look after James and his baby sister, until their grandparents arrived, I dread to think how detrimental the whole experience would have been for them both. I hope you didn't mind him being a bit late for the fundraiser. He was so worried about it but I assured him that no-one would blame him for not wanting to abandon the boy in such horrible circumstances. Certainly not you, Jared."

Jared could only stare open-mouthed at Samantha as he felt himself growing smaller by the second.

"Goodness I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ramble on. If you could just let Jensen know that James' mother is doing much better now and send him my love - oh - and tell him thank you for his little bit of match-making. I'll hopefully see him next week to tell him all about how my date with Jeff goes."

With a girlish giggle, she pressed the picture and gift into Jared's hands, laying a gentle kiss on his cheek instead of the hearty slap that he actually deserved.

Jared was left in a daze, feeling lower than the lowest low thing to ever crawl the earth.

Without even a goodbye to Chad or Michael, he hastily grabbed his jacket and car keys and ran.

 

 

Jared was sure that the door to Jensen's apartment usually looked a lot friendlier. It was positively radiating displeasure at Jared's appearance, or maybe it was more at the lack of his appearance for the past week.

His increasingly agitated knocking only succeeded in making his knuckles throb and possibly the solid oak door gloat. Thankfully, he knew there was a spare key. Taking back every time he'd berated Jensen for taping the little key to the top of his doorframe, he quickly peeled it free and with trembling fingers and a quick prayer to the Gods that Jensen hadn't pulled the chain across inside of the door, he turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open.

The apartment was dark and subdued. Usually Jared felt Jensen's warmth and love settle over him like a blanket the second he walked through the door. Now though, sadness seemed to seep through the walls and tangle itself around Jared's legs, weighing him down. The deathly quiet disturbed Jared the most. Jensen liked a lively soundtrack to accompany his day. If the television wasn't on, he normally had a bizarrely eclectic collection of music blaring from his iPod speakers.

When Jared called out, his voice echoed eerily through the empty rooms. It didn't look much like Jensen was here. That was strange though, because Jared couldn't think where else he would go if he was sick. His father lived miles away, out in the sticks, and the last Jensen had mentioned he was on vacation anyway; researching his roots in the wilds of Scotland somewhere.

Flipping lights on as he went, Jared slipped quietly through the apartment looking for a hint of his boyfriend’s whereabouts. The kitchen was spotlessly clean as usual, no obvious signs that Jensen had used it lately. The bathroom was empty and Jensen's bed made. The only thing out of place was Jensen's cell phone lying on top of the comforter. Jared collapsed heavily on the bed, which let out a tiny breathy groan of complaint.

No really, that was not Jared's imagination. The bed definitely had groaned. Maybe not though, maybe something under the bed had groaned. No, there was no way-

Jared dropped to his knees, lifted the cotton bed-skirt that hid the gap beneath Jensen's bed and the floor and stared in horror.

Jensen was curled into a ball beneath the bed. Cold dread burrowed deep into Jared's bones. It was too dim to see clearly but it looked as though Jensen still had on the white shirt and the suit pants he'd worn the previous week; the last time Jared had seen him. There was a half-empty bottle of water lying on its side by his hand and a ratty blanket covering his feet.

"Jensen!" Even though Jared hadn't shouted, his voice still sounded painfully loud in the strained silence.

"What are you doing baby? Oh god, you're scaring me. Please come out from under there." Jared's voice dropped to a whisper.

A pitiful whimper was the only response.

"Jen. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was an idiot. A total fucking idiot. I love you so much baby, please,please can you come out here for me."

"Jared?" Jensen's raspy croak barely made a ripple in the air and Jared's throat ached in sympathy.

"Yes Jen, it's me. I'm sorry about...about everything. Please I'm begging you baby can you come out here so I can see you. Please."

It was harrowing for Jared to watch how much effort it took for Jensen to uncurl himself and crawl laboriously towards the edge of the bed where Jared could just about reach him. As much as Jared wanted to haul Jensen out from under the bed, straight into his arms, he was terrified he'd inadvertently hurt him. He settled for extending his hand, as a lifeline for Jensen to grab onto if he wanted. Jensen stretched out his trembling fingers, curled them around Jared's wrist and Jared's stomach flipped somersaults in relief.

That relief was short-lived however. Struggling out from beneath the bed, with painstakingly gentle assistance from Jared, must have wiped Jensen of what little energy he'd had left. He all but collapsed across Jared's lap, giving Jared a painfully clear view of his boyfriend for the first time.

Panic clawed through Jared's chest. Jensen's face looked grey in the unforgiving gleam of the overhead light. The scattering of sun-kissed freckles that usually roamed his face had completely faded from existence and the softest lips that Jared had ever kissed were cracked dry and colourless. Jensen was cold. Colder that Jared would have believed possible. Violent shivers wrenched his whole body, periodically jarring him rigid in Jared's arms. And his eyes. His beautiful eyes had lost their unearthly luminescence. A milky film clouded the forest green irises.

Jared's own eyes blurred with a haze of unshed tears. Jensen didn't look sick. He looked as though he was dying.

Holding Jensen tenderly to his chest with one arm, Jared grappled desperately for the cell phone that he knew was lying on the bed somewhere, with his free hand.

"Jensen...Jensen...can you hear me baby? Hold on okay. Just hold on. I'm gonna call for an ambulance." Where was the damn phone?

"Jared, no."

Jensen's cracked murmur broke through Jared's heart-stopping fear, stopping his frenzied search for the phone.

"What do you mean no Jen. I can't - I don't know what to do. You need help." Tears were dripping down Jared's face now.

"Nothin' they c'n do Jay. Too late. Can't live without you."

"What! What? Jen I'm here. I love you. You don't need to live without me. Oh God Jensen, I don't understand what's happening."

"Done. Over."

"What?" Jared didn't understand at first then it him like a wrecking ball. "No! No! I didn't mean it. I was mad and jealous and no...no Jensen. It was a mistake I'm begging you Jensen, I'm sorry...I don't want it to be over. I never did. I love you Jensen."

"Love?" Jensen's eyes seemed to focus on Jared's for the first time. "Love me?"

Hope surged through Jared. "Yes! Yes, I love you Jensen. I always will. Forever, I promise."

The beginnings of a smile twitched at the corners of Jensen's mouth, then his eyes rolled back and closed and then he went completely limp in Jared's arms.

 

 

"It's over. I'm done."

Jensen's world ended with those words. With the sight of his boyfriend, turning his back on him and walking away. Not a backward glance or a kind word to soften the rejection.

His mate didn't want him. Jensen couldn't breathe; he didn't even want to.

He had no idea of how long he stood. Waiting. Waiting for Jared to come back to him, dimples and goofy smile lighting up his face. Waiting to hear that it was all a mistake, an over-reaction. Waiting to hear Jared say he still loved him. Waiting for the world to stop turning, for the night's sky to crack open and swallow him in darkness.

He realized eventually that people were talking to him. Concerned voices buzzing around his head. He talked, he reassured, he smiled. Yes he was fine. Just a misunderstanding. No, no need to worry. Yes, he could use a ride actually. A bottle of water was pressed into his hand, maybe they thought he'd had too much to drink. Yes, let them think that.

He moved on auto-pilot. A fragile veneer covering the disintegrating mass inside of him. He felt as though this was all happening to someone else. As though he was watching through a lens as a stranger's life fell apart.

Somehow, he arrived home. He politely thanked someone for the ride: Jeff he distantly noted, Jeff who'd been so kind and had kept him company while Jared had been busy, Jeff who was looking at him now with eyes full of concern. Slipping from the car, he was grateful to escape into the solitude of his apartment.

He stumbled through the empty rooms not stopping until he reached his bedroom. The floor lurched below him and his trembling legs buckled. He pitched forward onto his knees, his body shaking and his breathing uneven. Eventually he pulled it together long enough to drag himself across the floor to his bed, leaning back against the side of it for support, his cell-phone clutched in his hand like a life-line. Maybe Jared would call. Maybe he would have second thoughts and forgive him. Maybe it wasn't too late.

When daylight streaked through the open curtains, he was still sitting by the bed numbly staring at the apologetically mute phone clenched in his fist.

The weekend passed. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. He couldn't think about anything other than Jared. By Monday morning, the desperate hopes that Jensen had been clinging onto by his fingernails, had finally slipped away. Jared wasn't going to call. Jared didn't want him.

He clung onto the last vestige of his dignity for a few more minutes. Just long enough to call and tell Samantha he was sick but not to worry.

The he allowed himself to fly apart. The cracks of pain and loss that were running through him burst wide open, shattering his heart into a million jagged shards. He'd lost his mate, his true love. He wanted to curl up and die. The urge to find somewhere enclosed and quiet, somewhere safe to hide away, suddenly became his only objective.

He found himself crawling into the dark narrow gap below his bed. His mama's old blanket that had been lying at the foot of his bed, was clasped in his fingers and he hugged it close, letting the solid shelter of his bed protect him as oceans of tears rained down his cheeks.

Minutes, hours, days passed. His throat dried out but he refused to drink from the bottle of water that had rolled under the bed. The heat slowly leeched from his body until, for the first time his dragon-hot blood flowed cold through his veins. He curled tighter into himself, knowing that his suffering would be over soon.

When the bed above him dipped, brushing against his back, a pained cry of surprise forced its way from his parched throat. Jared's voice was calling to him from a distance and Jensen knew that this was it, he was hallucinating, and that could only mean one thing. He found himself drawn to the phantom call of his mate and despite the crippling aches in his body and the tiredness weighing him down, he clawed his way toward the soothing voice.

Jensen knew he could die happy when he felt himself being cradled in his mate's arms. Despite the icy shivers attacking his useless body, he felt warm, at peace.

He could still hear Jared's voice though, breaking through the serenely calm sensation encompassing him. He sounded scared, upset. Oh god! The realization struck Jensen like a body blow, jarring him back to reality; this wasn't his imagination. Jared actually was here, holding him in his arms distraught and crying. Jensen tried to explain that there was nothing Jared could do, but his throat was so sore, so dry. He wanted to tell Jared he was sorry, that Jared shouldn't feel bad, should let him go. He tried to explain but even with his blurry vision, he could see the expression of terror on Jared's face as he stared down at him uncomprehendingly. He didn't know. Jared didn't know that a dragon couldn't live without it's mate. Jensen had never told him.

Then Jared said he loved him. Jensen heard it, clear as a bell through the dense fog in his head. A spark of hope sputtered to life inside of him as he heard the truth in Jared's frantic promises of love. The spark flared into a rush of heat that tore through him, lighting up every cell in his body before his world exploded to black.

 

 

God, his throat felt like a fire-ant infested rodent had crawled into his mouth and decomposed, and every part of his body from his little toes to his ears were cramping in pain. It was an uphill battle to push his way to consciousness and a weak self-pitying groan fell from his lips.

"Sshh, drink this." A straw slipped into his mouth and Jensen sucked on it greedily. He tried to pry open his sleep encrusted eyes but it was such an exhausting struggle that when Jared softly told him to go back to sleep, he couldn't think of a single reason not to.

The same pattern repeated itself until eventually Jensen woke feeling less like truck-flattened road-kill and more like he had a bad case of flu. The straw still pushed into his mouth and he still sucked down the water greedily, but then he opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying in his own bed and Jared was right there lying next to him, watching him closely.

"I love you." Jared's voice sounded rough and his eyes were red-rimmed and watery but a soft smile spread across his face that made Jensen's insides feel like hot melted chocolate.

"I love you too," he croaked.

"I know, you idiot. Go back to sleep. We'll talk when you look less like you nearly succeeded in killing yourself."

Jensen felt there was something in that admonishment that he should be objecting to, but he was comfortable and sleepy and really, arguing could wait.

 

 

The gentle carding of fingers through his hair was a pleasant way to greet consciousness. Jensen hummed in approval and snuggled in closer to the warm naked body that surrounded him.

"Hello there, babe. Any chance that you're actually with me this time?" Jared's chest vibrated under Jensen's head as he spoke. Jensen turned, nuzzling his face into the smooth skin underneath him.

"Nope."

"Nope? Well that's the most lucid you've been so far. How about opening those gorgeous eyes of yours and looking at me?"

"Nnurgh."

Feathery light strokes tickled down his sensitive sides, making him wriggle. That was not playing fair; Jensen pouted and scrunched his eyes shut tighter in retaliation.

"Come on baby, wake up. We need to talk."

Talking didn't sound like something worth waking up for.

"I knew I should have gotten up and made you coffee. Please Jen, you've been asleep for days. You have to face daylight sooner or later."

Days! God Jared exaggerated sometimes. But just as the hazy edge of sleep started to draw him in again, confusing images shuttered through his head: Jared turning his back and walking away, a silent phone, the sheltered darkness beneath his bed. Nausea suddenly tipped his stomach as the memory of everything that had happened after the fundraiser crashed into him.

Jensen's eyes flew wide open and he stared at Jared. At the beautiful face, he thought he'd seen for the last time.

"Jared!"

"Hey there. God it's good to see those sparkling eyes of yours."

Jensen threw his arms around Jared's neck, buried his face against his chest and wept.

"Hey shush. It's okay Jensen, it’s okay. I've got you." Jared held him close, rubbing gentle circles across his back until he cried himself out.

"I thought you didn't want me. That I'd screwed up, that I'd lost you forever."

Jared shuffled up the bed, pulling Jensen with him until they were both propped against the headboard. Grabbing a bottle of water from the bedside table, he loosened the cap and handed it to Jensen, waited for him to take a few sips then swapped it for a handful of tissues. Jensen cleaned up the mess of tears and snot staining his face - he wasn't a pretty crier - and tried to calm down.

Wrapping an arm around Jensen's shoulder and hugging him tight against him, Jared said, "I owe you a massive apology Jensen. I screwed up. Seriously, I was a fuckin idiot. I should never have let such a stupid fight get so out of hand and I shouldn’t have waited for you to make the first move afterwards. This has all been a huge mistake. That night at the fundraiser, I was stressed out to hell and I know - I know that's no excuse for being a dick - but I was upset when you were late -"

Jensen tried to interrupt Jared's rush of words, to explain at last why he'd been late but Jared pressed a finger against his lips.

"Shh, let me finish. I know it wasn't your fault and I should have let you explain. Like I said, I was an asshole, then when I saw you spending all that time with Morgan. God! I just wanted to punch his smug face. I've never been so jealous in my life. I over-reacted. I was a jerk and you deserve so much better than that, than me, but I'm telling you now: I'm never letting you go again. I'm going to do everything I can to prove to you that I can be better, be good enough for you. I'm sorry Jensen. Do you think you can forgive me?"

That was simple for Jensen to answer. "I love you, of course I forgive you." He entwined his fingers through Jared's, so both their hands were resting over his heart.

"Good...that's good. I promise I'll never let you down like that again. I'm not saying I'll never be jealous or even that'll I'll never act like an idiot again because that might be asking the impossible - sorry - but I do promise I will never again, let you think that I am not one hundred percent committed to you. To us."

Jensen's heart felt like it would burst and yet more tears were threatening to spill from his eyes. He didn't know how that was even possible considering how dehydrated he still felt.

"Okay," Jared took a deep breath before he continued. "Now, I need to know why the hell you didn't tell me that I was your mate and what could happen if I was a complete and utter moron and left you."

Jensen knew he'd messed up too, knew that Jared deserved an explanation but he wasn't quite sure how to begin. An apology, he guessed was a pretty good start.

Squeezing Jared's fingers in his own, he said, "I'm sorry Jay. This is a real mess huh? I know I should have told you about the whole mate thing but...you know...we never...we never talked much about my dragon traits and I thought maybe...it kind of...I dunno...maybe creeped you out a bit and it's not something that's easy to drop into conversation. Hi honey, how was your day, by the way, you're my mate and if you reject me, it'll kill me but you know...no pressure."

"Jesus Jensen. I'm sorry if I made you feel you couldn't talk about your dragon side, trust me it doesn't creep me out, not at all. I guess I never thought it was that important, that you were really any different to me. Christ I got that wrong. When I found you Jensen...when I found you...you were dying. Jesus Christ...you really were dying and I've never been so frightened in my life. You passed out in my arms and I thought -"

Jared stopped for a minute, visibly fighting back the emotion that threatened to turn him into a blubbering wreck.

"I dialled 911 and when the paramedics got here, they asked what had happened and they...they took a look at you and knew right away. They said you'd been rejected by your mate...by me...and that you were just fading away. That if I hadn't found you when I did... They said they couldn't do anything for you, that I should stay with you, that skin to skin contact was best and as long as I didn't leave, you should pull through. Fuck Jensen...should! Should pull through! That was three days ago. I swear if you ever ever do anything like that again I will kick your ass."

Jared was shaking beside him now and Jensen rolled over straddling his lap, tangled his arms around his neck, resting their foreheads together; completely plastering himself against his boyfriend.

"I'm sorry." It was his turn to offer comfort now. "I'm sorry I scared you. I should have explained things to you. I swear I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was protecting you by not telling you, but I was wrong. I'm sorry Jay."

"It's all right." Jared sniffed. "I guess we both fucked up. One of us a bit more than the other."

"Yeah, "Jensen agreed.”Wait you do mean _you_ right?"

"Yes I mean me, smartass." Jared said against Jensen's lips. "But you have to talk to me baby. Obviously, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to dragon lore so you have to tell me everything."

"I will Jay, I promise. No more hiding things."

Jared's mouth was so close to his own and far too tempting to resist. Jensen brushed his lips against it, waiting patiently until Jared relaxed enough to kiss him back. The tentative press of lips gradually progressed into something hungrier as the feel of Jared's naked skin against his own started to send electrifying tendrils of desire shooting through his body.

"I can't believe we've been lying together naked for days. You're amazing Jay, so lucky to have you as a mate." Jensen mumbled against the soft scruffy stubble covering Jared's chin.

Jared shifted below him, holding his hands chastely still against Jensen's back, much to Jensen's disappointment.

"Well, I had to get up occasionally. Not being a dragon and all. I still needed to eat and y'know take bathroom breaks while you magically healed yourself without ever-"

Jensen pushed his lips back against his mate's mouth, stealing his voice. Now was not the time to be discussing the practicalities of what a dragon's body could do. There were a couple of things however he wouldn't mind doing with his body and Jared's, if Jared would just stop thinking quite so hard.

Licking his way into Jared's mouth, he rocked down on his lap, enjoying the moans of pleasure Jared couldn't stifle. He combed his fingers through the messy tangle of his boyfriend's hair, down over any part of Jared he could reach; the damp skin at the back of his neck, the hard outline of his broad shoulders, the soft skin covering the firm contours of his arms. He could feel Jared's dick growing thick between them, rubbing deliciously against his own erection, which lay trapped between the sweaty heat of their stomachs.

He whined when Jared drew back, robbing him of that glorious mouth. "Jensen, sweetheart. You've just woken up. I don't think this is a good idea."

Jensen was pleased to hear the strain in Jared's voice as he licked the salty skin of his mate's throat. "I'm fine Jay, never felt better."

"Jensen," Jared whined. You've been lying in bed for days. Don't you think it would be a better idea to eat, shower maybe, take in some more fluids?"

Jensen snorted, "I know a good way to take in fluids right here Jay."

Jared's head thumped back against the wall as Jensen laid a trail of kisses down his neck. "Really? Babe, I'm trying to do the sensible thing here. You nearly died. Here. In my arms."

Looking up at Jared from where he was licking across the dark peak of a nipple, Jensen paused, then moved back up and tucked his head into the crook of Jared's neck.

"I'm sorry about that Jay, really I am. But I'm very much alive and here, hot and pretty horny, on your lap. Don't you think life-affirming sex could be a good thing?"

Grinding down on Jared's lap, Jensen continued, "and with you being my mate I think I need you to fuck me to...to...reaffirm out bond. It's one of those dragon things y'know. You need to mark your territory, show me you own me."

At last, Jared's self-control shattered. In one quick flurry of movement, he had Jensen pinned to the bed, on his back, gazing up at Jared with lust filled eyes and a tiny hint of a smirk.

"Are you...Jensen are you fucking with me?" Incredulous disbelief coated his words and his expression. "You manipulative little...you know what? I don't care."

This time Jared took control of the kiss, fiercely laying claim to Jensen's mouth, swallowing down his needy whimper. By the time he finally pushed into the incredibly tight heat of Jensen's ass, he'd thoroughly and possessively marked every single inch of Jensen's writhing body as his own private territory.

 

 

 

A couple of weeks spent interrogating Jensen about his dragon instincts, and exercising his google-fu hadn't made Jared a dragon expert. It had however given him a pretty good idea of how to finagle his way into his boyfriend's good books.

Palming the little gift he'd found for Jensen (e-bay was a wonderful thing) through the pocket of his jeans, he swung his front door wide open and engulfed his startled boyfriend in a hearty bear hug.

"Oof, good to see you too Jay." Jensen tried unsuccessfully not to beam as he untangled himself from his mate's arms.

"Come on in Jen. I've ordered take-out, there's wine chilling in the refrigerator and I've got you a present." Shit he hadn't actually meant to spill that last titbit yet, but he was hopelessly incapable of keeping secrets for longer than twenty seconds.

Jensen's green eyes sparkled even brighter and a surge of heat flashed from him. He loved gifts, no matter how small. They never failed to thrill him.

Jared dug the small inelegantly wrapped parcel from his pocket and handed it over to Jensen with a dirty open-mouthed kiss that made his intentions for the evening ahead pant-burstingly clear.

Ripping the paper off with all the restraint of a three year old on a sugar high at Christmas, Jensen jiggled in his seat with excitement. "A Tardis. You got me a miniature Tardis, look at it. It's perfect. You're perfect, absolutely perfect. I love you."

With the tiny Tardis clutched lovingly in his hand, Jensen peppered Jared's face in butterfly kisses until he reached his lips, then he proceeded to demonstrate to Jared just how dirty a kiss could really be.

A persistent thudding on the door disrupted them just before they ended up horizontal on the sofa, forcing them grudgingly to take a break for pizza and wine.

"So," Jensen asked after licking a rogue smear of tomato sauce from his lip. "Is there any reason you're spoiling me with gifts, romantic lighting and sparkling wine tonight?"

"Uh..." Jared replied, having momentarily lost the power of speech after watching the pink tip of Jensen's tongue flick around those full flushed lips.

"Jared?"

"Oh no...no reason in particular. I just enjoy making you happy."

"Mmhm. I don't need gifts to make me happy though; I just need you."

"You big softy," Jared laughed warmly, flicking a stray mushroom towards his grinning boyfriend. "You know Jen; you never did tell me when you first knew I was your mate."

Jensen looked surprised, "You don't know?"

Jared shook his head.

"Oh, I knew the minute I saw you Jared. The first time I spotted your hazel eyes and your shaggy hair and those lethal dimples, I knew you were the one for me."

Jared was a bit sceptical. "The first time we met, really? Jensen I puked down your shirt the first time we met. You had to buy a new cell phone afterwards. It wasn't exactly an awesome first impression."

Jensen chuckled, "Luckily for you, I'd spotted you across the room earlier on, before you decided you needed to down enough tequila shots to knock out a moose."

"It's not my fault," Jared whined. You were being all gorgeous and cute and freckly and I was me: all clumsy and tongue-tied. I needed to work up some dutch courage before I could talk to you." There was another question that had been bothering him. "So what would have happened if things hadn't worked out between us. If I hadn't turned out to be so devastatingly charming."

That elicited a wry snort from Jensen. "Well, I knew you were my mate but we didn't exactly _mate_ then. It took a while before the bond formed completely. If you'd turned out to be a drunken ass, I could have happily lived without you then."

That made sense to Jared. He'd hate to think that it would be so easy for dragons to be hurt by unknowing or undeserving mates. "So, when was the bond formed then?"

A pink blush crept over Jensen's face and he nervously cleared his throat before answering. "The first time we...you...know. The first time I let you...fuck me." The last two words came out in a garbled rush.

"No wonder you made me wait until I thought my balls were going to explode. Ow! Sorry, sorry." Jared winced and rubbed his sore shin where Jensen had just kicked it. "But that wasn't your first time right? I mean you never said that...oh God you weren't a virgin were you?"

"No!" Jensen squealed face palming. "No, I'm a dragon Jared not a fucking saint. It just never meant anything with anyone else. You're my soul-mate, you're the only one I could ever bond with. It was different with you, special. Don't look so goddamn smug!"

Jared couldn't help it. A huge grin had possessed his face and he didn't care, not even when Jensen kicked his other shin - hard.

"Jensen?"

"Oh God, what now Jared. Haven't we talked enough tonight?"

"Why baby? You want me to make you feel special. No...no...don't kick me again. I was just wondering. Do you think you could show me your dragon? You know, shift for me?"

"What, now?"

"Yeah, if you want. I mean if you can. You did promise you would show me soon."

"I guess I did and of course I can but, now?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it and I feel like I don't totally know you. I mean, I don't know all of you. I want to know everything about you Jen." Jared hoped Jensen knew what he was trying to say, sometimes his brain wasn't completely in sync with his mouth.

Jensen shot him a fond smile. "Yeah I can shift for you Jay. I want you to see all of me. We gonna do this here? You might want to shut the curtains."

"Can you do it here? Is there enough room? I mean how big are you? You're not liable to set anything on fire are you?" Now it was actually going to happen, Jared had a sudden attack of nerves.

Jensen rolled his eyes, stood up and started stripping. "Yes there's enough room and no I'm not gonna set anything on fire. I haven't done that since I hit puberty. Right you sit there and I'm gonna stand over here and...if you laugh...or run screaming I will never forgive you. Understand?"

"I would never...why would I laugh?"

Jensen just glared until Jared sat down and shut up. He wriggled out of his boxer briefs leaving him standing nervous and vulnerable in front of Jared, then in a confusing blur of twisting colours, he changed into a stunningly perfect dragon.

A spectacular dragon with golden wings, vivid green eyes and thick long eyelashes that were all Jensen.

"You're beautiful." Jared gaped in wonder. Standing up, he slowly approached his boyfriend, "And you're...you're kind of short, and dude you're ginger."

Jensen's snout wrinkled up and a wisp of white smoke spiralled from his nostrils. "Sorry babe but I didn't expect you to still be smaller than me."

The dragon in front of him, rose up steadily until it was balanced on its back legs, like a dog begging - not that Jared would ever be brave enough to compare his boyfriend to a dog - and still Jared was an inch or two taller.

"Aw, you're adorable."

Jensen dropped back down in a definite huff, scrumpling his wings into his sides. He looked somewhat cross-eyed, which Jared thought might be an attempt to scowl.

"Don't be like that baby. You're cute." He ran his hand carefully down Jensen's snout, tracing the shower of gold spots that trailed over his face and down his chest. "Look you've still got freckles. This is amazing. I can't believe you're ginger though."

Jared had forgotten all about Jensen's new appendage until a sound like a whip cracking rent the air and he felt the narrow end of his mate's tail snap across his ass.

"Hey, that stung." Jensen's tail flicked against the floor and another puff of smoke appeared when he huffed through his snout.

"Okay, so you're not ginger." Jared conceded rubbing his tender butt, "how about strawberry blonde?"

A growing rumble of discontent resonated from deep within dragon Jensen's chest.

"No? Erm...reddish! Orange? Hey! Put the tail down. Copper! You're a beautiful copper dragon."

A satisfied loud purring noise erupted from Jensen and he butted his head against Jared's chest. "Yeah, you're my beautiful copper dragon and I love you."

Jensen licked a stripe over Jared's hand and nudged him to continue his petting. It was incredibly relaxing for Jared to smooth his hand down the delicate scales of his boyfriend's hide. For all his teasing, the colours were stunning; a breath-taking array of coppery shades that shone under the flickering glow of candles and lamp light. It was strangely comforting to run his hands over the startling new form of his boyfriend. He caressed and massaged over Jensen's head, down his snout, over the ridges of his back and across his steely strong silken wings, until he ended up rubbing the luxuriously soft heat of his belly. Which gave him an excellent view of exactly how much Jensen enjoyed being petted.

"Wow baby, that's not small is it. That's definitely one department you've got me beat. Christ, I don't think I could get my hands around it. You did not just wink at me Jensen. All right that's enough, no more petting. You're getting far too excited."

Jared backed away from a surprisingly smug looking dragon. "I'm going through to the bedroom. I'm gonna be naked and waiting for you, but not dragon you. You you. I am not having sex with you like that. Don't sulk, I know you're pouting Jensen and it won't help."

Walking away, Jared pulled his tee shirt over his head giving Jensen an excellent view of the defined muscles of his back, the dip of his spine, his narrow waist and the curve of the top of his ass.

When he heard a whoosh and the crackle of flame, he just hoped Jensen hadn't set anything too expensive on fire.  
  
  
                                                                                                              Finis

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the full amazing prompt from the spnkink meme:  
> Jensen is a were, dragon, vampire, ect, some creature that mates for life. They're pretty indestructible, only being vulnerable to a few things, and one of them is the rejection of their mate.
> 
> Jared is human, and doesn't understand everything that comes with being the mate of a nonhuman. He tries to convince his friends and family that Jensen is "just like him," and because he is so focused on the similarities, he does not notice the differences.
> 
> Jensen brings Jared to a party one night, and when he loses track of his mate, ends up in a long, deep conversation with another, very attractive party goer. Jared is insanely jealous at what he sees, but he manages to keep his anger in until he and Jensen leave the party. Because he has been so focused on telling everyone that Jensen is just like any other human, he doesn't know it's practically impossible for Jensen to cheat on him. He doesn't know that Jensen's world revolves around him now, and that Jensen was only talking to the other person to further Jared's interests. (Up to author how this works, maybe the party goer is the dean of admissions at a college Jared wants to attend, the boss of his boss's boss at work, ect) Jensen tries to explain to Jared, but he's too pissed to listen. Completely furious at Jensen, Jared shouts "It's over!" and packs up his things. Even as he says it, Jared doesn't really mean it. He anticipates that Jensen will continue to try to apologize, that they'll work on things, and then have fantastic makeup sex.
> 
> A week goes by, and Jared's a little surprised that Jensen makes no move to contact him. He's disappointed that his so called "mate" won't even fight for him. His conflicted feelings only grow when he sees the person Jensen was "flirting" with. The man/woman is all dressed up now, and explains that because of Jensen's recommendation, Jared has been accepted/promoted/ect. 
> 
> Feeling guilty, because Jared now knows that Jensen was speaking the truth, he goes to find his mate, only to discover that he's gravely ill, and on the verge of death. Shocked at how his lover could go from a vibrant man full of life to a practical corpse in the span of a week, he begs Jensen to tell him what's wrong, and is unprepared for the answer that Jensen gives him. When Jensen tells him that he's dying because his mate no longer wants him, Jared sets out to become the best mate possible, to prove to Jensen just how much he wants and loves him. In the process, he stops trying to pretend that Jensen is just like him, and starts to learn about how he's unique, because he doesn't ever want to hurt Jensen again.


End file.
